Music Review: Bob Marley – B is for Bob

Bob Marley once said “Me is a common sense man…That mean when me explain things me explain it in a very simple way, that mean if I explain it to a baby the baby will understand too, you know.” B is for Bob is out June 23 on Ume/Island/Tuff Gong by four-time Grammy winning producer, Ziggy Marley.

B is For Bob is a CD that has many of Marley’s classics remixed with a simplified approach. It is remixed to the point that Bob Marley isn’t the singer for every song. This is a perfect blending of music towards the elementary market. Throughout my listening, I wished in kindergarten they would’ve turned this on instead of Barney and Friends. It is a pleasure to listen to. The oldest Marley son was clearly thinking when producing this album. Through his father's legacy of self-determination, hope, joy, love, and empathy, Ziggy clearly made all of these themes prominent. At times I was thinking to myself, I thought I requested a kids CD, and not a CD that’d appeal to adults and the coffee shop listener. It was then that I recalled how universal his audience is.

This is not just an album for kids. It’s Bob Marley we’re dealing with here.

“Jamming” was my favorite song on this record. When I heard the introduction filled with a conga and bongo jam, I was reassured that this album had a reinventing flavor. It’s a very laid back tune with the original Marley vocal track. I truly enjoyed this remix that implemented the classic Bob Marley with Ziggy’s taste. This song is a testament to the Marley family legacy. Including both new and old, “Jamming” is a fantastic modernization of the 1977 masterpiece. His legacy included his powerful political message that touches people of all ages.

It is hard to listen to this without comparing it to arguably the most successful compilation CD that the music industry has ever seen, Legend. As a loyal fan of Marley, compilation discs always leave the question of why one song was included at the cost of another. Ziggy Marley was dealing with perfection and legacy when creating this CD. Although he could’ve made a CD with every one of Marley’s songs, B is for Bob includes a great flow of Marley’s range of musical innovations. New listeners of Marley get a great taste of his work in these twelve tracks. Casual listeners will enjoy the new flavor Ziggy Marley added to his father’s hits.

Included in this CD is bonus online content such as coloring pages, activities, and a sing-a-long video. In addition, Ziggy Marley posted samples of his new Family Time album in the online content. Each CD also comes with a year subscription to Parents Magazine. Striving for eco-awareness, B is for Bob comes in a recyclable and biodegradable Eco-Pak.

I strongly recommend this album. It is a great album for both new and old Marley listeners. In addition to B is for Bob, I recommend his original albums such as Babylon by Bus, Exodus, and Legend. Whether you’re 10 or 100, B is for Bob is simply continuing the Marley legacy.